This, that and the other thing

Well, this post is just kinda random. I felt since it is May Day and all, I should share something...so here goes the most random blog ever:

I just finished reading "Fifty shades of Grey"-- for those of you that don't know the title offhand, it is the book that has been described as a younger woman/ older man fiasco, a hard core S and M book, etc. I personally picked it up because 1. it was 50% off and 2. The first review I ever read about it made it sound fabulous. Here is the scoop: I was anxious as hell about the....'kinky'... stuff I had been told was in there. Now maybe it is just me but I actually didn't find it too intimidating. And there is very little of it in there. Mostly, it is written really well (going along with the reviews, it is TOTALLY a grown-up Twilight), and actually a very good read! It has the stupidest ending though so try to have the second book on hand right away, haha!

Thanks to our substantial tax refunds, we got about $4500 worth of access money to pay some neglected bills. We actually paid off a few things, got current on a bunch of things, and treated ourselves a bit too-- not to mention it bought our NYC plane tickets! We still have a lot of bills hangin around but it's sooooo much easier to handle now. And hopefully in September we will both have better paying jobs and benefits and next year's tax refund will help knock out a few more bills!

It's that time of year again and HOMEGROWN in Duluth is upon us. I have volunteered the last two years but I believe I have only ever gone to see one concert since being 21. This year however we skipped the volunteering and are going to 3 whole shows, haha! Most exciting is Trampled by Turtles on Wednesday. That is, IF we get there in time. Tickets start selling at 3, so I am thinking we need to be there by 2 or 2:30. They don't go on until midnight, so this could get interesting.... Otherwise Too many Banjos is playing at Pizza Luce on Saturday and my friend's new romantic interest is playing on Sunday for brunch.

Well, it is official. Jesse will be applying to grad school in about 8 or 9 months, and I am dropping out of college for a year! Wow, college drop-out. Sounds so classy, huh? Haha. I'm hoping that in a year I can take a class or two online a semester. Maybe I will even start next Spring, who knows. I may never get a degree, but I might. We shall see.

The main thing I am concentrating on at the moment is our big summer dance show. We're doing the story of Hades and Persephone and I am currently choreographing audition combos, choreographing dance sections, emailing info, and doing scheduling. We shall also soon be starting a VLOG about the process on YouTube for Avalon! Keep your eyes peeled!

Jesse and I are so funny, we have moments where we giggle and wrestle and cuddle and people say we "give Koala Bears Diabetes" and then at home we are such old married people. Haha! Seriously though. We were both home all day yesterday. Jesse played games as I read. We didn't really hang out or chit chat or anything. I made us lunch, we sat and ate as we did our own seperate things... it's so funny! I think though that we are both happier just knowing the other person is there, you know? We occasionally reached out a hand to be held or leaned forward for a kiss, etc. It's nice to be able to do that, as when we are both gone all day we only have texting to keep in touch.

Finally, I just have to talk about this cuz I am so freakin excited!! NYC baby!!! We head to the cities June 25th, fly out the 26th. We have loose plans Tuesday-Thursday, are planning on purchasing NYC passes and do a day of crazy sightseeing on Friday, then Sat is relaxing in Central Park/ seeing Julie Kent in ABT's Swan Lake!!! And Monday night, our last night in the city, Jesse and I have date night reservations at Dylan Prime :) We fly back Tuesday night. I just can't wait. NYC is so alive! So big! So....not Duluth. Haha, I just can't wait to get out of here with my hubby <3

RECIPE OF THE DAY: BEEF WELLINGTON! (What we're having at Dylan Prime!)

 

 

 

Ingredients

For the Duxelles:

• 3 pints (1 1/2 pounds) white button mushrooms
• 2 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Beef:

• 1 (3-pound) center cut beef tenderloin (filet mignon), trimmed
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 12 thin slices prosciutto
• 6 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves only
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• Flour, for rolling out puff pastry
• 1 pound puff pastry, thawed if using frozen
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• Minced chives, for garnish
• Green Peppercorn Sauce, recipe follows
• Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
• Warm Wilted Winter Greens, recipe follows

Directions

To make the Duxelles: Add mushrooms, shallots, garlic, and thyme to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add butter and olive oil to a large saute pan and set over medium heat. Add the shallot and mushroom mixture and saute for 8 to 10 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.

To prepare the beef: Tie the tenderloin in 4 places so it holds its cylindrical shape while cooking. Drizzle with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper and sear all over, including the ends, in a hot, heavy-based skillet lightly coated with olive oil - about 2 to 3 minutes. Meanwhile set out your prosciutto on a sheet of plastic wrap (plastic needs to be about a foot and a half in length so you can wrap and tie the roast up in it) on top of your cutting board. Shingle the prosciutto so it forms a rectangle that is big enough to encompass the entire filet of beef. Using a rubber spatula cover evenly with a thin layer of duxelles. Season the surface of the duxelles with salt and pepper and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves. When the beef is seared, remove from heat, cut off twine and smear lightly all over with Dijon mustard. Allow to cool slightly, then roll up in the duxelles covered prosciutto using the plastic wrap to tie it up nice and tight. Tuck in the ends of the prosciutto as you roll to completely encompass the beef. Roll it up tightly in plastic wrap and twist the ends to seal it completely and hold it in a nice log shape. Set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to ensure it maintains its shape.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry out to about a 1/4-inch thickness. Depending on the size of your sheets you may have to overlap 2 sheets and press them together. Remove beef from refrigerator and cut off plastic. Set the beef in the center of the pastry and fold over the longer sides, brushing with egg wash to seal. Trim ends if necessary then brush with egg wash and fold over to completely seal the beef - saving ends to use as a decoration on top if desired. Top with coarse sea salt. Place the beef seam side down on a baking sheet.

Brush the top of the pastry with egg wash then make a couple of slits in the top of the pastry using the tip of a paring knife - this creates vents that will allow the steam to escape when cooking. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until pastry is golden brown and beef registers 125 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from oven and rest before cutting into thick slices. Garnish with minced chives, and serve with Green Peppercorn Sauce, Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, and Warm Wilted Winter Greens.

Green Peppercorn Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 shallots, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
• 1 cup brandy
• 1 box beef stock
• 2 cups cream
• 2 tablespoons grainy mustard
• 1/2 cup green peppercorns in brine, drained, brine reserved

Add olive oil to pan after removing beef. Add shallots, garlic, and thyme; saute for 1 to 2 minutes, then, off heat, add brandy and flambe using a long kitchen match. After flame dies down, return to the heat, add stock and reduce by about half. Strain out solids, then add 2 cups cream and mustard. Reduce by half again, then shut off heat and add green peppercorns.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Fresh Herbs and Garlic:

• 2 pints fingerling potatoes
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 to 3 sprigs fresh sage
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 6 cloves garlic, left unpeeled
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus for sheet pan
• Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F and place a baking sheet inside to heat.

Add potatoes, rosemary, sage, thyme, and garlic to a medium bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Remove sheet pan from oven, lightly coat with olive oil, and pour potatoes onto pan. Place potatoes in oven and reduce heat to 425 degrees F. Roast for 20 minutes, or until crispy on outside and tender on inside.

Warm Wilted Winter Greens:

• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 pint walnuts, for garnish
• 3 bunches assorted winter greens (such as Swiss chard, radicchio, or escarole), washed, stemmed, and torn into pieces
• 1 tablespoon grainy mustard
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds, for garnish
• Parmesan shavings, for garnish
• 1 shallot, chopped, for garnish

Cook honey and balsamic together over medium-high heat in a large saute pan, about 5 minutes. Toast walnuts in a small skillet; set aside to cool.

Pile greens on a platter. Stir mustard into balsamic-honey dressing, then whisk in about 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil; pour over greens. Season greens with salt and pepper and garnish with walnuts, pomegranate seeds, shavings of Parmesan, and shallot.

ENJOY! :)